An interesting design that has stood up to a variety of conditions and uses. I love it.

By rya3208079 Ranked #961 - Winter Packs September 8, 2009

I saw first saw this pack in a local shop, and I was mostly intrigued at first because of the brand's reputation. After checking out some bits on the internet about it, I snagged this pack and awaited some opportunities to use it.

The pack takes a while to properly "understand" and fit to your body so the weight sits centered on your back and doesn't cramp your left shoulder. I discovered that the waist-strap buckle can be slipped through the large D-ring which connects the waist-strap buckle to the shoulder strap. This shifts the waist-strap from behind the D-ring to the front of it, and this makes the pack substantially more comfortable (for me). The pack, otherwise, is adjusted by tightening the shoulder and waist straps and remains set in place quite well. It's easy to forget that there's a pack on your back even after a looong day.

There is a bit of a learning curve in figuring out how to pack the Quiver due largely to its irregular shape. I was troubled at first, but after a week or so of random town adventures I became a pro, and realized how well the pack accommodates cramming and stuffing. The zippers are sturdy tough stuff and the pack itself seems to encourage the zippers to close when its packed.

I've used the pole-strap clips sparingly, but when the load is wide enough, there's no way they can come unclipped without manually unsnapping them. One downside is that there is a clearly defined limit to the diameter of what they can hold, as the shock cord/plastic apparatus absolutely refuses to stretch beyond a clear, well-defined limit. Clever working, however, can allow the clips to accommodate anything from a machete to a shovel. There are other ways Arc'teryx could have implemented a feature such as this, but by no means are the clips bad or useless.

The hydration slot within the main pouch is cramped and is hard to fit my 2.0L bag into; however, it can be inserted in there overloaded well past the marked "full" capacity if the camelbag is completely placed inside the pouch before one attempts to slip it into the (very tightly fitting) sleeve. The opening for the hose it also very tight. Shock cords which sit on the back of the shoulder strap just above the pack can be used for whatever the user envisions, but are useful for guiding the hose. There is also a rubber O-ring which is clipped onto the lower shoulder strap to stash the business end of the hose.

The last thing worth mentioning about this pack is how easy it is to access the pack's contents while still wearing it. Just unclip the waist, slip it under the right arm, and it sits comfortably on the chest, and zips back easily even with cramped loads.

Overall, I would give this pack a 4.5, but that's not possible and I don't think it deserves a 4 because of how swift and easy the pack becomes after a small learning curve. It can even be slipped onto a large backpacking pack and kept centered by virtue of its own straps. I have no major issues with this pack, and the only complaint I could register would be that there's no sub-compartmentalization within a pack to keep something like keys or a wallet in a definite location. This, however, is extremely minor and can be worked around just be keeping a small baggie inside for such things.

View Details: Arc'teryx Quiver Backpack - 670cu in

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No